12 families homeless after Saturday morning fire in Memphis

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — 12 South Memphis families are out of their homes after an early Saturday morning fire destroyed their apartment building.

The fire happened in the 700 block of Walker Ave near Lemoyne-Owen College just after 9 a.m. The residents who stay in this apartment building told FOX13 they are lucky to be alive.

Saturday morning, a fire started in the commons area of the apartment building. According to several people who live in the building, the Memphis Fire Department told them it started from one of the air condition window units.

"I woke up and my room was just full of smoke. When I opened the door I couldn't see which way to go,” Carter said.

Carter told FOX13, the area where fire started is a kitchen and living area. According to the Memphis Fire Department, none of the residents were inside of the space when the fire started.

Carter told FOX13 she was asleep.

"I was the last person to come out of there by the time I get out my lungs full of smoke. I can’t hardly breathe,” Carter said.

Carter said she is lucky and she already planned to move into a new space at the beginning of next month. She said her current neighbors who have lived in the building for years are left searching for a new place to call home.

"We all just fill a bit abandoned and just left out because we were just totally burned out,” Carter said.

FOX13 spoke with the building’s property manager from Uptown Properties LLC who says they are currently working with the Red Cross to help find resident shelter.